1
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Mazzocato Y, Perin S, Morales-Sanfrutos J, Romanyuk Z, Pluda S, Acquasaliente L, Borsato G, De Filippis V, Scarso A, Angelini A. A novel genetically-encoded bicyclic peptide inhibitor of human urokinase-type plasminogen activator with better cross-reactivity toward the murine orthologue. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 95:117499. [PMID: 37879145 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
The inhibition of human urokinase-type plasminogen activator (huPA), a serine protease that plays an important role in pericellular proteolysis, is a promising strategy to decrease the invasive and metastatic activity of tumour cells. However, the generation of selective small molecule huPA inhibitors has proven to be challenging due to the high structural similarity of huPA to other paralogue serine proteases. Efforts to generate more specific therapies have led to the development of cyclic peptide-based inhibitors with much higher selectivity against huPA. While this latter property is desired, the sparing of the orthologue murine poses difficulties for the testing of the inhibitor in preclinical mouse model. In this work, we have applied a Darwinian evolution-based approach to identify phage-encoded bicyclic peptide inhibitors of huPA with better cross-reactivity towards murine uPA (muPA). The best selected bicyclic peptide (UK132) inhibited huPA and muPA with Ki values of 0.33 and 12.58 µM, respectively. The inhibition appears to be specific for uPA, as UK132 only weakly inhibits a panel of structurally similar serine proteases. Removal or substitution of the second loop with one not evolved in vitro led to monocyclic and bicyclic peptide analogues with lower potency than UK132. Moreover, swapping of 1,3,5-tris-(bromomethyl)-benzene with different small molecules not used in the phage selection, resulted in an 80-fold reduction of potency, revealing the important structural role of the branched cyclization linker. Further substitution of an arginine in UK132 to a lysine resulted in a bicyclic peptide UK140 with enhanced inhibitory potency against both huPA (Ki = 0.20 µM) and murine orthologue (Ki = 2.79 µM). By combining good specificity, nanomolar affinity and a low molecular mass, the bicyclic peptide inhibitor developed in this work may provide a novel human and murine cross-reactive lead for the development of a potent and selective anti-metastatic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ylenia Mazzocato
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy
| | - Stefano Perin
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy
| | - Julia Morales-Sanfrutos
- Proteomics Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), C. de Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Zhanna Romanyuk
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy
| | - Stefano Pluda
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy; Fidia Farmaceutici S.p.A., Via Ponte della Fabbrica 3/A, Abano Terme 35031, Italy
| | - Laura Acquasaliente
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 5, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Borsato
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Filippis
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 5, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Scarso
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy
| | - Alessandro Angelini
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy; European Centre for Living Technology (ECLT), Ca' Bottacin, Dorsoduro 3911, Calle Crosera, 30123 Venice, Italy.
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2
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Wong JYK, Ekanayake AI, Kharchenko S, Kirberger SE, Qiu R, Kelich P, Sarkar S, Li J, Fernandez KX, Alvizo-Paez ER, Miao J, Kalhor-Monfared S, John JD, Kang H, Choi H, Nuss JM, Vederas JC, Lin YS, Macauley MS, Vukovic L, Pomerantz WCK, Derda R. Genetically encoded discovery of perfluoroaryl macrocycles that bind to albumin and exhibit extended circulation in vivo. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5654. [PMID: 37704629 PMCID: PMC10499988 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41427-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptide-based therapeutics have gained attention as promising therapeutic modalities, however, their prevalent drawback is poor circulation half-life in vivo. In this paper, we report the selection of albumin-binding macrocyclic peptides from genetically encoded libraries of peptides modified by perfluoroaryl-cysteine SNAr chemistry, with decafluoro-diphenylsulfone (DFS). Testing of the binding of the selected peptides to albumin identified SICRFFC as the lead sequence. We replaced DFS with isosteric pentafluorophenyl sulfide (PFS) and the PFS-SICRFFCGG exhibited KD = 4-6 µM towards human serum albumin. When injected in mice, the concentration of the PFS-SICRFFCGG in plasma was indistinguishable from the reference peptide, SA-21. More importantly, a conjugate of PFS-SICRFFCGG and peptide apelin-17 analogue (N3-PEG6-NMe17A2) showed retention in circulation similar to SA-21; in contrast, apelin-17 analogue was cleared from the circulation after 2 min. The PFS-SICRFFC is the smallest known peptide macrocycle with a significant affinity for human albumin and substantial in vivo circulation half-life. It is a productive starting point for future development of compact macrocycles with extended half-life in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Y K Wong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Arunika I Ekanayake
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Serhii Kharchenko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Steven E Kirberger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Ryan Qiu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Payam Kelich
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - Susmita Sarkar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Jiaqian Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | | | - Edgar R Alvizo-Paez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Jiayuan Miao
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | | | - J Dwyer John
- Ferring Research Institute, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Hongsuk Kang
- Quantum Intelligence Corp., 31F, One IFC, 10 Gukjegeumyung-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu-Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hwanho Choi
- Quantum Intelligence Corp., 31F, One IFC, 10 Gukjegeumyung-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu-Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - John M Nuss
- Ferring Research Institute, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - John C Vederas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Yu-Shan Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Matthew S Macauley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G2, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Lela Vukovic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | | | - Ratmir Derda
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G2, Canada.
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3
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Upadhyaya P, Kristensson J, Lahdenranta J, Repash E, Ma J, Kublin J, Mudd GE, Luus L, Jeffrey P, Hurov K, McDonnell K, Keen N. Discovery and Optimization of a Synthetic Class of Nectin-4-Targeted CD137 Agonists for Immuno-oncology. J Med Chem 2022; 65:9858-9872. [PMID: 35819182 PMCID: PMC9340768 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
![]()
CD137 (4-1BB) is a co-stimulatory receptor on immune
cells and
Nectin-4 is a cell adhesion molecule that is overexpressed in multiple
tumor types. Using a series of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based linkers,
synthetic bicyclic peptides targeting CD137 were conjugated to Bicycles targeting Nectin-4. The resulting bispecific molecules
were potent CD137 agonists that require the presence of both Nectin-4-expressing
tumor cells and CD137-expressing immune cells for activity. A multipronged
approach was taken to optimize these Bicycle tumor-targeted
immune cell agonists by exploring the impact of chemical configuration,
binding affinity, and pharmacokinetics on CD137 agonism and antitumor
activity. This effort resulted in the discovery of BT7480, which elicited
robust CD137 agonism and maximum antitumor activity in syngeneic mouse
models. A tumor-targeted approach to CD137 agonism using low-molecular-weight,
short-acting molecules with high tumor penetration is a yet unexplored
path in the clinic, where emerging data suggest that persistent target
engagement, characteristic of biologics, may lead to suboptimal immune
response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Punit Upadhyaya
- Bicycle Therapeutics, 4 Hartwell Place, Lexington, Massachusetts 02421, United States
| | - Julia Kristensson
- Bicycle Therapeutics, B900 Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, U.K
| | - Johanna Lahdenranta
- Bicycle Therapeutics, 4 Hartwell Place, Lexington, Massachusetts 02421, United States
| | - Elizabeth Repash
- Bicycle Therapeutics, 4 Hartwell Place, Lexington, Massachusetts 02421, United States
| | - Jun Ma
- Bicycle Therapeutics, 4 Hartwell Place, Lexington, Massachusetts 02421, United States
| | - Jessica Kublin
- Bicycle Therapeutics, 4 Hartwell Place, Lexington, Massachusetts 02421, United States
| | - Gemma E Mudd
- Bicycle Therapeutics, B900 Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, U.K
| | - Lia Luus
- Bicycle Therapeutics, 4 Hartwell Place, Lexington, Massachusetts 02421, United States
| | - Phil Jeffrey
- Bicycle Therapeutics, B900 Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, U.K
| | - Kristen Hurov
- Bicycle Therapeutics, 4 Hartwell Place, Lexington, Massachusetts 02421, United States
| | - Kevin McDonnell
- Bicycle Therapeutics, 4 Hartwell Place, Lexington, Massachusetts 02421, United States
| | - Nicholas Keen
- Bicycle Therapeutics, 4 Hartwell Place, Lexington, Massachusetts 02421, United States
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4
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Gonschorek P, Zorzi A, Maric T, Le Jeune M, Schüttel M, Montagnon M, Gómez-Ojea R, Vollmar DP, Whitfield C, Reymond L, Carle V, Verma H, Schilling O, Hovnanian A, Heinis C. Phage Display Selected Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors of Kallikrein-Related Peptidases 5 and 7 and Their In Vivo Delivery to the Skin. J Med Chem 2022; 65:9735-9749. [PMID: 35653695 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidases 5 (KLK5) and 7 (KLK7) are serine proteases with homeostatic functions in the epidermis that play a critical role in Netherton syndrome (NS), a rare yet life-threatening genetic disorder that currently lacks specific treatment. Previous research suggests that controlling KLKs could lead to the development of NS therapies, but existing synthetic inhibitors have limitations. Herein, we used phage display to screen libraries comprising more than 100 billion different cyclic peptides and found selective, high-affinity inhibitors of KLK5 (Ki = 2.2 ± 0.1 nM) and KLK7 (Ki = 16 ± 4 nM). By eliminating protease-prone sites and conjugating the inhibitors to an albumin-binding peptide, we enhanced the inhibitor stability and prolonged the elimination half-life to around 5 h in mice. In tissue sections taken from mice, a fluorescently labeled peptide was detected in the epidermis, suggesting that the inhibitors can reach the KLKs upon systemic delivery and should be suited to control deregulated protease activity in NS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Gonschorek
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Zorzi
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Tamara Maric
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Mathilde Le Jeune
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Mischa Schüttel
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Mathilde Montagnon
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Rebeca Gómez-Ojea
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Denis Patrick Vollmar
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Chantal Whitfield
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Luc Reymond
- Biomolecular Screening Facility, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa Carle
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Hitesh Verma
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Schilling
- Institute for Surgical Pathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79106, Germany
| | - Alain Hovnanian
- INSERM UMR1163, Imagine Institute, University of Paris, Paris, France; Department of Genetics, Necker Hospital for Sick Children (AP-HP), 75015 Paris, France
| | - Christian Heinis
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
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5
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Hausner SH, Bauer N, Davis RA, Ganguly T, Tang SYC, Sutcliffe JL. The Effects of an Albumin Binding Moiety on the Targeting and Pharmacokinetics of an Integrin α vβ 6-Selective Peptide Labeled with Aluminum [ 18F]Fluoride. Mol Imaging Biol 2021; 22:1543-1552. [PMID: 32383076 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-020-01500-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The αvβ6-BP peptide selectively targets the integrin αvβ6, a cell surface receptor recognized as a prognostic indicator for several challenging malignancies. Given that the 4-[18F]fluorobenzoyl (FBA)-labeled peptide is a promising PET imaging agent, radiolabeling via aluminum [18F]fluoride chelation and introduction of an albumin binding moiety (ABM) have the potential to considerably simplify radiochemistry and improve the pharmacokinetics by increasing biological half-life. PROCEDURES The peptides NOTA-αvβ6-BP (1) and NOTA-K(ABM)-αvβ6-BP (2) were synthesized on solid phase, radiolabeled with aluminum [18F]fluoride, and evaluated in vitro (integrin ELISA, albumin binding, cell studies) and in vivo in mouse models bearing paired DX3puroβ6 [αvβ6(+)]/DX3puro [αvβ6(-)], and for [18F]AlF 2, BxPC-3 [αvβ6(+)] cell xenografts (PET imaging, biodistribution). RESULTS The peptides were radiolabeled in 23.0 ± 5.7 % and 22.1 ± 4.4 % decay-corrected radiochemical yield, respectively, for [18F]AlF 1 and [18F]AlF 2. Both demonstrated excellent affinity and selectivity for integrin αvβ6 by ELISA (IC50(αvβ6) = 3-7 nM vs IC50(αvβ3) > 10 μM) and in cell binding studies (51.0 ± 0.7 % and 47.2 ± 0.7 % of total radioactivity bound to DX3puroβ6 cells at 1 h, respectively, vs. ≤ 1.2 % to DX3puro for both compounds). The radiotracer [18F]AlF 1 bound to human serum at 16.3 ± 1.9 %, compared to 67.5 ± 1.0 % for the ABM-containing [18F]AlF 2. In vivo studies confirmed the effect of the ABM on blood circulation (≤ 0.1 % ID/g remaining in blood for [18F]AlF 1 as soon as 1 h p.i. vs. > 2 % ID/g for [18F]AlF 2 at 6 h p.i.) and higher αvβ6(+) tumor uptake (4 h: DX3puroβ6; [18F]AlF 1: 3.0 ± 0.7 % ID/g, [18F]AlF 2: 7.2 ± 0.7 % ID/g; BxPC-3; [18F]AlF 2: 10.2 ± 0.1 % ID/g). CONCLUSION Both compounds were prepared using standard chemistries; affinity and selectivity for integrin αvβ6 in vitro remained unaffected by the albumin binding moiety. In vivo, the albumin binding moiety resulted in prolonged circulation and higher αvβ6-targeted uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven H Hausner
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Nadine Bauer
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Ryan A Davis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Tanushree Ganguly
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Y C Tang
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Julie L Sutcliffe
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA. .,Center for Molecular and Genomic Imaging, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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6
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Fan L, Fan Y, Fan H, Huang K. Evaluation of Strategies for Decreasing Blood Glucose Using Albuminbinding Domain. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2020; 21:605-612. [PMID: 31893990 DOI: 10.2174/1389201021666200101105018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Frequent administrations for DPPIV-resistant GLP-1 analogs are necessary to maintain the blood concentrations due to the short half-life of less than 5 minutes. However, most delivery systems that possess the ability of sustainable release of GLP-1 have drawbacks such as low yield, high cost and undesirable side effects. Therefore, we aimed to prepare a simple and efficient delivery system that could be feasibly applied to reduce blood glucose. METHODS A novel GLP-1 delivery system (GLP-1-ELPs-SA) was prepared and characterized by circular dichroism. Furthermore, the activity and property of GLP-1-ELPs-SA were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS GLP-1-ELPs-SA are easily expressed in E. coli in a soluble formulation and purified through the inverse transition cycle. GLP-1-ELPs-SA spontaneously generated depot under physiological conditions. GLP-1-ELPs-SA was also found to be dispersed in the blood vessels from the depot and showed a high affinity to bind with mice (C57BL/6J) albumin, which shows that GLP-1-ELPs-SA has a long circulation time in vivo. CONCLUSION Our delivery system could markedly decrease the clearance of recombinant proteins based on serum albumin, without substantially increasing the protein molecular weight and remarkably reducing the blood glucose within 120 h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Fan
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology Lab, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Changle Road 68, Nanjing, 210006, China.,School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yani Fan
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology Lab, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Changle Road 68, Nanjing, 210006, China
| | - Hongwei Fan
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology Lab, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Changle Road 68, Nanjing, 210006, China.,School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Tongjiaxiang 24, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Kaizong Huang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology Lab, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Changle Road 68, Nanjing, 210006, China
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7
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Yimchuen W, Kadonosono T, Ota Y, Sato S, Kitazawa M, Shiozawa T, Kuchimaru T, Taki M, Ito Y, Nakamura H, Kizaka-Kondoh S. Strategic design to create HER2-targeting proteins with target-binding peptides immobilized on a fibronectin type III domain scaffold. RSC Adv 2020; 10:15154-15162. [PMID: 35495466 PMCID: PMC9052545 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra00427h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-binding peptides such as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-binding peptides are attractive therapeutic and diagnostic options for cancer. However, the HER2-binding peptides (HBPs) developed thus far are susceptible to proteolysis and lose their affinity to HER2 in vivo. In this report, a method to create a HER2-binding fluctuation-regulated affinity protein (HBP-FLAP) consisting of a fibronectin type III domain (FN3) scaffold with a structurally immobilized HBP is presented. HBPs were selected by phage-library screening and grafted onto FN3 to create FN3-HBPs, and the HBP-FLAP with the highest affinity (HBP sequence: YCAHNM) was identified after affinity maturation of the grafted HBP. HBP-FLAP containing the YCAHNM peptide showed increased proteolysis-resistance, binding to HER2 with a dissociation constant (KD) of 58 nM in ELISA and 287 nM in biolayer interferometry and specifically detects HER2-expressing cancer cells. In addition, HBP-FLAP clearly delineated HER2-expressing tumors with a half-life of 6 h after intravenous injection into tumor-bearing mice. FN3-based FLAP is an excellent platform for developing target-binding small proteins for clinical applications. A HER2-binding protein, HBP-FLAP, developed by peptide immobilization specifically binds to HER2 and has improved resistance to proteases.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanaporn Yimchuen
- School of Life Science and Technology
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Yokohama 226-8501
- Japan
| | - Tetsuya Kadonosono
- School of Life Science and Technology
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Yokohama 226-8501
- Japan
| | - Yumi Ota
- School of Life Science and Technology
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Yokohama 226-8501
- Japan
| | - Shinichi Sato
- Institute of Innovative Research
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Yokohama 226-8501
- Japan
| | - Maika Kitazawa
- School of Life Science and Technology
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Yokohama 226-8501
- Japan
| | - Tadashi Shiozawa
- School of Life Science and Technology
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Yokohama 226-8501
- Japan
| | - Takahiro Kuchimaru
- Center for Molecular Medicine
- Jichi Medical University
- Shimotsuke 329-0498
- Japan
| | - Masumi Taki
- Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering
- The University of Electro-Communications
- Tokyo 182-8585
- Japan
| | - Yuji Ito
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering
- Kagoshima University
- Kagoshima 890-0065
- Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Nakamura
- Institute of Innovative Research
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Yokohama 226-8501
- Japan
| | - Shinae Kizaka-Kondoh
- School of Life Science and Technology
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Yokohama 226-8501
- Japan
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8
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Zorzi A, Linciano S, Angelini A. Non-covalent albumin-binding ligands for extending the circulating half-life of small biotherapeutics. MEDCHEMCOMM 2019; 10:1068-1081. [PMID: 31391879 PMCID: PMC6644573 DOI: 10.1039/c9md00018f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Peptides and small protein scaffolds are gaining increasing interest as therapeutics. Similarly to full-length antibodies, they can bind a target with a high binding affinity and specificity while remaining small enough to diffuse into tissues. However, despite their numerous advantages, small biotherapeutics often suffer from a relatively short circulating half-life, thus requiring frequent applications that ultimately restrict their ease of use and user compliance. To overcome this limitation, a large variety of half-life extension strategies have been developed in the last decades. Linkage to ligands that non-covalently bind to albumin, the most abundant serum protein with a circulating half-life of ∼19 days in humans, represents one of the most successful approaches for the generation of long-lasting biotherapeutics with improved pharmacokinetic properties and superior efficacy in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Zorzi
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering , School of Basic Sciences , Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) , Lausanne CH-1015 , Switzerland
| | - Sara Linciano
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems , Ca' Foscari University of Venice , Via Torino 155 , Venezia Mestre 30172 , Italy
| | - Alessandro Angelini
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems , Ca' Foscari University of Venice , Via Torino 155 , Venezia Mestre 30172 , Italy
- European Centre for Living Technologies (ECLT) , San Marco 2940 , Venice 30124 , Italy .
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9
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Ahangarzadeh S, Kanafi MM, Hosseinzadeh S, Mokhtarzadeh A, Barati M, Ranjbari J, Tayebi L. Bicyclic peptides: types, synthesis and applications. Drug Discov Today 2019; 24:1311-1319. [PMID: 31102732 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Bicyclic peptides form one of the most promising platforms for drug development owing to their biocompatibility, similarity and chemical diversity to proteins, and they are considered as a possible practical tool in various therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Bicyclic peptides are known to have the capability of being employed as an effective alternative to complex molecules, such as antibodies, or small molecules. This review provides a summary of the recent progress on the types, synthesis and applications of bicyclic peptides. More specifically, natural and synthetic bicyclic peptides are introduced with their different production methods and relevant applications, including drug targeting, imaging and diagnosis. Their uses as antimicrobial agents, as well as the therapeutic functions of different bicyclic peptides, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrzad Ahangarzadeh
- Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mohammad M Kanafi
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Simzar Hosseinzadeh
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahad Mokhtarzadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mahmood Barati
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Ranjbari
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Lobat Tayebi
- Marquette University School of Dentistry, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA.
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10
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Jin P, Sha R, Zhang Y, Liu L, Bian Y, Qian J, Qian J, Lin J, Ishimwe N, Hu Y, Zhang W, Liu Y, Yin S, Ren L, Wen LP. Blood Circulation-Prolonging Peptides for Engineered Nanoparticles Identified via Phage Display. NANO LETTERS 2019; 19:1467-1478. [PMID: 30730145 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b04007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Sustaining blood retention for theranostic nanoparticles is a big challenge. Various approaches have been attempted and have demonstrated some success but limitations remain. We hypothesized that peptides capable of increasing blood residence time for M13 bacteriophage, a rod-shaped nanoparticle self-assembled from proteins and nucleic acids, should also prolong blood circulation for engineered nanoparticles. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of this approach by identifying a series of blood circulation-prolonging (BCP) peptides through in vivo screening of an M13 peptide phage display library. Intriguingly, the majority of the identified BCP peptides contained an arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif, which was necessary but insufficient for the circulation-prolonging activity. We further demonstrated that the RGD-mediated specific binding to platelets was primarily responsible for the enhanced blood retention of BCP1. The utility of the BCP1 peptide was demonstrated by fusion of the peptide to human heavy-chain ferritin (HFn), leading to significantly improved pharmacokinetic profile, enhanced tumor cell uptake and optimum anticancer efficacy for doxorubicin encapsulated in the HFn nanocage. Our results provided a proof-of-concept for an innovative yet simple strategy, which utilizes phage display to discover novel peptides with the capability of substantially prolonging blood circulation for engineered theranostic nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Jin
- The Key Laboratory of Energy-Efficient Functional Ceramics and Applied Technology of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou Redsun Gas Applications Co., LTD , Guangzhou , 510435 , China
| | - Rui Sha
- School of Life Sciences , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei , Anhui , 230022 China
| | | | - Liu Liu
- School of Life Sciences , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei , Anhui , 230022 China
| | - Yunpeng Bian
- School of Life Sciences , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei , Anhui , 230022 China
| | | | | | - Jun Lin
- School of Life Sciences , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei , Anhui , 230022 China
| | - Nestor Ishimwe
- School of Life Sciences , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei , Anhui , 230022 China
| | - Yi Hu
- School of Life Sciences , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei , Anhui , 230022 China
| | | | - Yanchun Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Energy-Efficient Functional Ceramics and Applied Technology of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou Redsun Gas Applications Co., LTD , Guangzhou , 510435 , China
| | - Shiheng Yin
- Analytical and Testing Center , South China University of Technology , Guangzhou , 510640 , P.R. China
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11
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Xu P, Huang M. Small Peptides as Modulators of Serine Proteases. Curr Med Chem 2018; 27:3686-3705. [PMID: 30332941 DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666181016163630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Serine proteases play critical roles in many physiological and pathological processes, and are proven diagnostic and therapeutic targets in a number of clinical indications. Suppression of the aberrant proteolytic activities of these proteases has been clinically used for the treatments of relevant diseases. Polypeptides with 10-20 residues are of great interests as medicinal modulators of serine proteases, because these peptides demonstrate the characteristics of both small molecule drugs and macromolecular drugs. In this review, we summarized the recent development of peptide-based inhibitors against serine proteases with potent inhibitory and high specificity comparable to monoclonal antibodies. In addition, we also discussed the strategies of enhancing plasma half-life and bioavailability of peptides in vivo, which is the main hurdle that limits the clinical translation of peptide-based drugs. This review advocates new avenue for the development of effective serine protease inhibitors and highlights the prospect of the medicinal use of these inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Xu
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350116, China
| | - Mingdong Huang
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350116, China
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12
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Lawrence N, Dennis ASM, Lehane AM, Ehmann A, Harvey PJ, Benfield AH, Cheneval O, Henriques ST, Craik DJ, McMorran BJ. Defense Peptides Engineered from Human Platelet Factor 4 Kill Plasmodium by Selective Membrane Disruption. Cell Chem Biol 2018; 25:1140-1150.e5. [PMID: 30033131 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2018.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is a serious threat to human health and additional classes of antimalarial drugs are greatly needed. The human defense protein, platelet factor 4 (PF4), has intrinsic antiplasmodial activity but also undesirable chemokine properties. We engineered a peptide containing the isolated PF4 antiplasmodial domain, which through cyclization, retained the critical structure of the parent protein. The peptide, cPF4PD, killed cultured blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum with low micromolar potency by specific disruption of the parasite digestive vacuole. Its mechanism of action involved selective penetration and accumulation inside the intraerythrocytic parasite without damaging the host cell or parasite membranes; it did not accumulate in uninfected cells. This selective activity was accounted for by observations of the peptide's specific binding and penetration of membranes with exposed negatively charged phospholipid headgroups. Our findings highlight the tremendous potential of the cPF4PD scaffold for developing antimalarial peptide drugs with a distinct and selective mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Lawrence
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Adelaide S M Dennis
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Adele M Lehane
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Anna Ehmann
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Peta J Harvey
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Aurélie H Benfield
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Olivier Cheneval
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Sónia Troeira Henriques
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Brendan J McMorran
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia.
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13
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Ramos-Tomillero I, Perez-Chacon G, Somovilla-Crespo B, Sanchez-Madrid F, Domínguez JM, Cuevas C, Zapata JM, Rodríguez H, Albericio F. Bioconjugation through Mesitylene Thiol Alkylation. Bioconjug Chem 2018; 29:1199-1208. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.7b00828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Iván Ramos-Tomillero
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, 08028-Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028-Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gema Perez-Chacon
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas “Alberto Sols”, CSIC-UAM, 28029-Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Somovilla-Crespo
- Servicio de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital de la Princesa, 28006-Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Sanchez-Madrid
- Servicio de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital de la Princesa, 28006-Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Carmen Cuevas
- Research Department, PharmaMar S.A., Colmenar Viejo, 28770-Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Zapata
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas “Alberto Sols”, CSIC-UAM, 28029-Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Fernando Albericio
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, 08028-Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028-Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER-BBN, Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, 08028-Barcelona, Spain
- School of Chemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 4001-Durban, South Africa
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14
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Xie YQ, Wei L, Tang L. Immunoengineering with biomaterials for enhanced cancer immunotherapy. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2018; 10:e1506. [PMID: 29333729 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2017] [Revised: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has recently shown dramatic clinical success inducing durable response in patients of a wide variety of malignancies. Further improvement of the clinical outcome with immune related cancer treatment requests more exquisite manipulation of a patient's immune system with increased immunity against diseases while mitigating the toxicities. To meet this challenge, biomaterials applied to immunoengineering are being developed to achieve tissue- and/or cell-specific immunomodulation and thus could potentially enhance both the efficacy and safety of current cancer immunotherapies. Here, we review the recent advancement in the field of immunoengineering using biomaterials and their applications in promoting different modalities of cancer immunotherapies, with focus on cell-, antibody-, immunomodulator-, and gene-based immune related treatments and their combinations with conventional therapies. Challenges and opportunities are discussed in applying biomaterials engineering strategies in the development of future cancer immunotherapies. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Qing Xie
- Institute of Bioengineering, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lixia Wei
- Institute of Materials Science & Engineering, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Li Tang
- Institute of Bioengineering, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Institute of Materials Science & Engineering, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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15
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Wang P, Zhao P, Dong S, Xu T, He X, Chen M. An Albumin-binding Polypeptide Both Targets Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Vaccines to Lymph Nodes and Boosts Vaccine Presentation by Dendritic Cells. Am J Cancer Res 2018; 8:223-236. [PMID: 29290804 PMCID: PMC5743471 DOI: 10.7150/thno.21691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Albumin-binding carriers have been shown to target cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) vaccines to lymph nodes (LNs) and improve the efficacy of the vaccines. However, it was not clear whether the improved efficacy is solely due to the LN targeting, which prompted this study. Methods: First, we generated a fusion protein consisting of an albumin-binding domain (ABD) and an immune-tolerant elastin-like polypeptide (iTEP). Then, we examined the binding between this fusion protein, termed ABD-iTEP, and mouse serum albumin (MSA). Next, we evaluated the accumulation of ABD-iTEP in LNs and dendritic cells (DCs) in the LNs. We also analyzed antigen presentation and in vitro T cell activation of vaccines that were delivered by ABD-iTEP and investigated possible underlying mechanisms of the presentation and activation results. Last, we measured CTL responses induced by ABD-iTEP-delivered vaccines in vivo. Results: ABD-iTEP bound with MSA strongly with an affinity of 1.41 nM. This albumin-binding carrier, ABD-iTEP, accumulated in LNs 3-fold more than iTEP, a control carrier that did not bind with albumin. ABD-iTEP also resulted in 4-fold more accumulation in DCs in the LNs than iTEP. Most importantly, ABD-iTEP drastically enhanced the antigen presentation of its vaccine payloads and the T cell activation induced by its payloads. The enhancement was dependent on the formation of the complex between MSA and ABD-iTEP. Meanwhile, the MSA/ABD-iTEP complex was found to have increased stability in acidic subcellular compartments and increased cytosolic accumulation in DCs, which might explain the enhanced vaccine presentation resulting from the complex. Finally, when ABD-iTEP was used to deliver CTL vaccines derived from both self- and non-self-antigens, it boosted the vaccine-induced responses by 2-fold in either case. Conclusion: ABD-iTEP not only targets vaccines to LNs but also promotes the presentation of the vaccines by DCs. Albumin-binding carriers have more than one mechanism to boost the efficacy of CTL vaccines.
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16
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Strategies for transitioning macrocyclic peptides to cell-permeable drug leads. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2017; 48:242-250. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2017.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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17
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Deyle K, Kong XD, Heinis C. Phage Selection of Cyclic Peptides for Application in Research and Drug Development. Acc Chem Res 2017; 50:1866-1874. [PMID: 28719188 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.7b00184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic peptides can bind to protein targets with high affinities and selectivities, which makes them an attractive modality for the development of research reagents and therapeutics. Additional properties, including low inherent toxicity, efficient chemical synthesis, and facile modification with labels or immobilization reagents, increase their attractiveness. Cyclic peptide ligands against a wide range of protein targets have been isolated from natural sources such as bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. Many of them are currently used as research tools, and several have found application as therapeutics, such as the peptide hormones oxytocin and vasopressin and the antibiotics vancomycin and daptomycin, proving the utility of cyclic peptides in research and medicine. With the advent of phage display and other in vitro evolution techniques, it has become possible to generate cyclic peptide binders to diverse protein targets for which no natural peptides have been discovered. A highly robust and widely applied approach is based on the cyclization of peptides displayed on phage via a disulfide bridge. Disulfide-cyclized peptide ligands to more than a hundred different proteins have been reported in the literature. Technology advances achieved over the last three decades, including methods for generating larger phage display libraries, improved phage panning protocols, new cyclic peptide formats, and high-throughput sequencing, have enabled the generation of cyclic peptides with ever better binding affinities to more challenging targets. A relatively new cyclic peptide format developed using phage display involves bicyclic peptides. These molecules consist of two macrocyclic peptide rings cyclized through a chemical linker. Compared to monocyclic peptides of comparable molecular mass, bicyclic peptides are more constrained in their conformation. As a result, they can bind to their targets with a higher affinity and are more resistant to proteolytic degradation. Phage-encoded bicyclic peptides are generated by chemically cyclizing random peptide libraries on phage. Binders are identified by conventional phage panning and DNA sequencing. Next-generation sequencing and new sequence alignment tools have enabled the rapid identification of bicyclic peptides. Bicyclic peptide ligands were developed against a range of diverse target classes including enzymes, receptors, and cytokines. Most ligands bind with nanomolar affinities, with some reaching the picomolar range. To date, several bicyclic peptides have been positively evaluated in preclinical studies, and the first clinical tests are in sight. While bicyclic peptide phage display was developed with therapeutic applications in mind, these peptides are increasingly used as research tools for target evaluation or as basic research probes as well. Given the efficient development method, the ease of synthesis and handling, and the favorable binding and biophysical properties, bicyclic peptides are being developed against more and more targets, ever increasing their potential applications in research and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaycie Deyle
- Institute of Chemical Sciences
and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Xu-Dong Kong
- Institute of Chemical Sciences
and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christian Heinis
- Institute of Chemical Sciences
and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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19
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Zhang L, Thurber GM. Quantitative Impact of Plasma Clearance and Down-regulation on GLP-1 Receptor Molecular Imaging. Mol Imaging Biol 2016; 18:79-89. [PMID: 26194012 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-015-0880-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Quantitative molecular imaging of beta cell mass (BCM) would enable early detection and treatment monitoring of type 1 diabetes. The glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor is an attractive target due to its beta cell specificity and cell surface location. We quantitatively investigated the impact of plasma clearance and receptor internalization on targeting efficiency in healthy B6 mice. PROCEDURES Four exenatide-based probes were synthesized that varied in molecular weight, binding affinity, and plasma clearance. The GLP-1 receptor internalization rate and in vivo receptor expression were quantified. RESULTS Receptor internalization (54,000 receptors/cell in vivo) decreased significantly within minutes, reducing the benefit of a slower-clearing agent. The multimers and albumin binding probes had higher kidney and liver uptake, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Slow plasma clearance is beneficial for GLP-1 receptor peptide therapeutics. However, for exendin-based imaging of islets, down-regulation of the GLP-1 receptor and non-specific background uptake result in a higher target-to-background ratio for fast-clearing agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Greg M Thurber
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Rd., Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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20
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Zhang L, Navaratna T, Thurber GM. A Helix-Stabilizing Linker Improves Subcutaneous Bioavailability of a Helical Peptide Independent of Linker Lipophilicity. Bioconjug Chem 2016; 27:1663-72. [PMID: 27327034 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.6b00209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Stabilized peptides address several limitations to peptide-based imaging agents and therapeutics such as poor stability and low affinity due to conformational flexibility. There is also active research in developing these compounds for intracellular drug targeting, and significant efforts have been invested to determine the effects of helix stabilization on intracellular delivery. However, much less is known about the impact on other pharmacokinetic parameters such as plasma clearance and bioavailability. We investigated the effect of different fluorescent helix-stabilizing linkers with varying lipophilicity on subcutaneous (sc) bioavailability using the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor ligand exendin as a model system. The stabilized peptides showed significantly higher protease resistance and increased bioavailability independent of linker hydrophilicity, and all subcutaneously delivered conjugates were able to successfully target the islets of Langerhans with high specificity. The lipophilic peptide variants had slower absorption and plasma clearance than their respective hydrophilic conjugates, and the absolute bioavailability was also lower likely due to the longer residence times in the skin. Their ease and efficiency make double-click helix stabilization chemistries a useful tool for increasing the bioavailability of peptide therapeutics, many of which suffer from rapid in vivo protease degradation. Helix stabilization using linkers of varying lipophilicity can further control sc absorption and clearance rates to customize plasma pharmacokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, and ‡Department of Biomedical Engineering University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Tejas Navaratna
- Department of Chemical Engineering, and ‡Department of Biomedical Engineering University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Greg M Thurber
- Department of Chemical Engineering, and ‡Department of Biomedical Engineering University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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21
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Micewicz ED, Sharma S, Waring AJ, Luong HT, McBride WH, Ruchala P. Bridged Analogues for p53-Dependent Cancer Therapy Obtained by S-Alkylation. Int J Pept Res Ther 2015; 22:67-81. [PMID: 26957954 DOI: 10.1007/s10989-015-9487-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A small library of anticancer, cell-permeating, stapled peptides based on potent dual-specific antagonist of p53-MDM2/MDMX interactions, PMI-N8A, was synthesized, characterized and screened for anticancer activity against human colorectal cancer cell line, HCT-116. Employed synthetic modifications included: S-alkylation-based stapling, point mutations increasing hydrophobicity in key residues as well as improvement of cell-permeability by introduction of polycationic sequence(s) that were woven into the sequence of parental peptide. Selected analogue, ArB14Co, was also tested in vivo and exhibited potent anticancer bioactivity at the low dose (3.0 mg/kg). Collectively, our findings suggest that application of stapling in combination with rational design of polycationic short analogues may be a suitable approach in the development of physiologically active p53-MDM2/MDMX peptide inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa D Micewicz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California at Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Shantanu Sharma
- Materials and Process Simulation Center, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Alan J Waring
- Department of Medicine, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA, Medical Center, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
| | - Hai T Luong
- Department of Analytical Operations, Gilead Sciences, Inc., 4049 Avenida de la Plata, Oceanside CA, 92056, USA
| | - William H McBride
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California at Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Piotr Ruchala
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
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